A decision by UK charity Save the Children to give Tony Blair its annual Global Legacy Award has unleashed a torrent of criticism highlighting the former PM’s role in Britain’s 2003 Iraq war and his controversial business dealings in the Middle East.

The former Labour leader, who is currently a key focus of a
public inquiry into Britain’s invasion of Iraq, received the
honor on Wednesday night at a star-studded gala hosted by the
charity in New York.

Save the Children’s decision to offer Blair the award has
provoked outrage across the UK, with critics insisting the move
utterly discredits the charity.

Blair was honored with Save The Children's 'Global Legacy Award'
in supposed recognition of his vanguard leadership on the world’s
international development stage.

While serving Britain as prime minister, he formally committed
the country to allocating 0.7 percent of its GDP to overseas aid.
His administration also founded the Department for International
Development (DFID).

Following the announcement of Blair’s award at the Illumination
Gala in New York’s Plaza Hotel, he fraternized with Hollywood
celebrities such as Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner and Dakota
Fanning.

Speaking at the gala, Blair said: “From the beginning of
humankind there has been brutality, conflict, intrigue, the
destructive obsession with a narrow self-interest.

“But throughout all human history, never has been
extinguished that relentless, unquenchable desire to do good. To
act not only in self-interest and sometimes to even to act in
defiance of it.”

The former prime minister is central to Sir John Chilcot's
inquiry into Britain’s controversial and protracted war in Iraq.
UK MPs, campaigners and citizens have long argued that the brutal
war divided Britain and blackened Blair’s decade-long leadership.

Damning allegations relating to Blair’s role as Middle East envoy
and businesses dealings with autocratic rulers and others in the
region have also been levelled.

Earlier this month, it emerged that Blair had signed a
multimillion pound contract with a Saudi Arabian oil company in
2010 to broker secret deals on the firm’s behalf with Chinese
state officials.

The revelation raised serious questions over the former PM’s
diplomatic role as Middle East envoy, and his personal vested
interests in the region.

When news of the covert deal surfaced, Oliver Miles, a former UK
ambassador to Libya who has called for Blair to be removed from
his role as Middle East peace envoy, said the former prime
minister should disclose his financial interests in the region.

In July, a former political associate of Blair’s suggested his
role in advising the Egyptian government was highly convenient.

The former prime minister could battle the threat of Islamism on
the one hand, he told the Guardian, and sink his teeth into
“mouth-watering business opportunities” in return for
Bush-era advocacy on the other.

Incensed by the revelation of Blair's award, UK citizen Joe Cook
said the charity’s decision to honor him in this regard was
“horrendous, diabolical and absurd.”

Another Briton took to Twitter to demand Save the Childen revoke
the award, arguing the former prime minister was “the world’s
biggest criminal.”